The Auckland Council People’s Panel is a large group of many thousands of the Auckland public interested in providing feedback to Council about various issues which Council has an influence over or interest in. Frequent questionnaires are published seeking the views of the panelists on a wide variety of topics. A recent one was on Auckland’s Natural Environment. Full results of this survey can be seen at People’s Panel survey – Protecting & Improving Auckland’s Natural Environment

Tawharanui Marine Reserve on a quiet day. Beaches and coasts were of greatest interest to panelists.

The following I found fascinating in response to Question 5B, “In the last 12 months have you done any of the following activities in Auckland?”

Visited a beach 92%
Visited a marine reserve in Auckland 39%
Fished in the ocean 24%

Eaglerays are common in estuaries where they make distinctive “footprints” on the sand when they have been digging feeding holes. They are also common on rocky reefs where they have a completely different feeding strategy.

On New Years Day 2014 I was on a yacht with nine other people in northern Omaha Bay anchored near the shore when a large orca surfaced near the boat. The individual was instantly recognizable as Funky Monkey, a large male associated with a pod which frequents this area.

Soon the orca moved off towards the Whangateau Harbour entrance and we followed at a safe distance. Five other orca joined the large one just inside the entrance and they appeared to be heading further into the harbour where they may have been intending to hunt eaglerays as has happened in the past with the same pod (Orca make lunchtime raid on rays of Whangateau ).

At this point about six runabouts arrived to watch the orca. The intense boating activity seemed too much for the orca and they soon turned and cruised out through the harbour entrance (Amazing orca encounter for New Year and birthday treat). One boat in particular was seen to move very close to the orca which protested by tail slapping on the water surface. This boat had four fishing rods standing up in rod holders (Figure 1)

Figure 1. This boat was clearly getting too close to the orca in the Ti Point channel. Note the four fishing rods standing in rod holders.